SpaceX has delayed its Falcon 9 rocket launch for the third time.
According a tweet the aerospace company issued on Sunday, the delay was vital ‘to conduct additional inspections of the second stage. Working toward a backup launch opportunity on December 3.’
Prior to the cancellation, the Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled for liftoff at 10.32am PST on Sunday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
SpaceX has delayed its Falcon 9 rocket launch for the third time ‘to conduct additional inspections of the second stage.’ It will be launching on Monday instead of Sunday
Falcon 9 will be carrying 64 satellites belonging to companies, governments and research institutions in 17 different countries
The rocket was originally scheduled to be launched on November 19 but it was delayed to conduct further inspections. Another delay was caused by bad weather.
After separation, the rocket’s first stage will attempt to land on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean.
Falcon 9 will be carrying 64 satellites belonging to companies, governments and research institutions in 17 different countries.
This will be the second largest rideshare mission ever and the largest for a single mission on US soil.
‘It includes 15 microsats and 49 cubesats from both commercial and government entities, of which more than 25 are from international organizations from 17 countries, including the United States, Australia, Italy, Netherlands, Finland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, UK, Germany, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Poland, Canada, Brazil and India,” according to Spaceflight Industries.
The launch is an attempt to prove that using many smaller and cheaper satellites can accomplish the same task as larger and more expensive satellites.
Some of the satellites are aiming to build an internet network that could support smart devices.
Falcon 9 rocket is flying on its third mission, a first because no SpaceX rocket has ever flown more than twice. SpaceX founder Elon Musk (pictured, November 2018) said the aerospace company is aiming for a 24-hour turnaround in 2019
‘Eight of the satellites on board a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base will be from companies hoping to build a truly global Internet of Things by revolutionizing satellite communications,’ Wired reported.
The satellite networks could aid companies tracking agricultural shipments, for example, which are moved without internet access.
‘Most of the start-ups are planning to eventually have constellations of between 60 and 100 satellites,’ according to Wired.
The other big first of this launch is that the Falcon 9 rocket is flying on its third mission. No SpaceX rocket has ever flown more than twice.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk said the aerospace company is aiming for a 24-hour turnaround in 2019.
That means that the same Falcon 9 booster could conduct two launches in the same day.